Virtual Relationships Flashcards
What are virtual relationships (VR)?
Relationships that don’t exist on a face-to-face (FtF) basis.
How does self-disclosure differ for VR?
-People present an ‘edited’ version of themselves on social media.
-People are more confident to self-disclose on the Internet due to anonymity & the ‘strangers on the train’ effect.
What is the ‘strangers on a train’ effect?
The idea of strangers reciprocating self-disclosure, as there is little chance of disapproval or seeing the person again.
What are the two self-disclosure theories on VR?
-Reduced Cues Theory.
-Hyper-Personal Model.
What is the reduced cues theory?
The tendency for people to behave online in ways which they would not behave if the relationship was FtF.
What are features of the reduced cues theory?
-A lack of behavioural signals which usually help to guide FtF conversations (e.g. body language, facial expressions).
-Deindividuation can lead to one behaving with a lack of inhibition (expressing themselves in ways which they would not use in a FtF encounter).
-A lack of inhibition can lead to online comments and posts which are hyper-aggressive and extreme in language.
What is the hyper-personal model?
The idea that self-disclosure may in fact happen earlier and with greater levels of intimacy.
What are features of the hyper-personal model?
-‘Strangers on a train’: easier to disclose sensitive information to someone who is at a distance and whom one is unlikely to ever meet in real life.
-‘Boom and bust’ phenomenon: easy to abruptly terminate VRs, either by ‘ghosting’ or by having a confrontation which involves too much emotional energy in FtF encounters as it is easier to vent at a distance and in writing (known as the boom and bust phenomenon)
-Selective self-presentation: gives people an opportunity to present their ‘best self’ to the other person as they have the time and the tools.
What is a gate?
Obstacles/barriers that could interfere with the development of a relationship.
What are examples of gates in a relationship?
-Physical (e.g. fat, small).
-Personality trait (e.g. shy, socially anxious).
How can absence of gating benefit people?
-Provides opportunities for people who previously may have isolated themselves from relationships due to fear & anxiety.
-Encourages self-disclosure with its anonymity, allowing people to express themselves in ways that FtF encounters have not afforded them (e.g. honesty).
How did Whitty & Johnson study self-disclosure in VR?
Found that VR questions tend to be direct, probing & intimate.
The way in which people self-disclose puts themselves in an overly positive light.
SUPPORTS HYPER-PERSONAL MODEL.
How did McKenna & Bargh (1999) study VR?
Found that lonely & socially anxious people were able to express their true selves in VR, compared to FtF.
VR relationships: 70% survived more than 2 years.
FtF relationships: 49% survived more than 2 years.
SUPPORTS HYPER-PERSONAL MODEL.
Absence of gating allows relationships to ________ for a ________ more so than ________.
Kickstart, VR, FtF.
Evaluation points for virtual relationships:
-Reduced cues theory is not entirely valid: VRs do involve a set of internet-specific cues (e.g. the use of emojis; the time taken to respond to a message; capitalising words; using code words developed between the couple).
-Whitty & Johnson (2009).
-McKenna & Bargh (1999).
